A Study of the Costs of Building a Sixteenth

Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX

CERTIFICATE IN LOCAL HISTORY

SECOND YEAR

Robert Sier 20 Pines Road Chelmsford Essex CM1 2DL

1 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

A STUDY OF

THE COSTS OF BUILDING

A SIXTEENTH CENTURY ESTATE WATER MILL

ROBERT SIER

2 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

CONTENTS

1. Objectives page 4

2. Introduction page 5

3. Building the water mill page 7

4. Trades of craftsmen employed building the mill page 10

5. Materials used in construction of mill page 12

6. Leasing the mill page 15

7. Conclusions page 16

8. Sources page 18

3 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

OBJECTIVES

There were in Essex during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries a number of small estate water powered corn mills, predominantly sited away from the main rivers, with artificial mill ponds feed from small streams or springs. The objective of this study is to examine the costs of build and maintaining a small mill using as a primary source the Petre family archives. Also to examine the types of craftsmen employed and sources of building materials etc.

4 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

INTRODUCTION

During the sixteenth century the Petre estates ther must be a payre of fludd gates for the stay possessed several mills. These included water of the water, a grat and wayre for the stay of mills in Writtle and Margaretting; post windmills the ffysshe; and att the sowt end ther must be at Mill Green, Ingatestone and West Horndon. also a grat for keping in of the ffyssh. There were also horse mills at Ingatstone Hall The sowth hedd must be mad in length est and and Thorndon Hall. It was the practise to let west lxxxij yards or more as the ground shall the mills on long leases. require. The thycknes or breadth of this hedd Sir William Petre who had made his to be as the north hedd and in this hedd must fortune in royal service, took in 1538, a forty be a fludgat and a grat and on the sowth sid of year lease on the manor of Ingatestone from the sowth hedd ther must be a damme or dych the abbey of Barking. He was able to purchase for the conveyaunce of the water of the brad- the manor in the following year from Henry VIII. ness and largenes of th other damme on the There is among the papers of Sir William a west. document apparently in his hand and dated Ther must be also beyond the north hedd one 1555, on requirements for bringing of water to great dych cast from the wear to be mad att his house and for making of an over shot water the end of the damme ther to the Ryver mill. This new mill was to replace a horse mill, sufytien for conveyaunc away of the water att which was then to be rebuilt at Thorndon Hall. all tymes. There is no indication of the intended location Att the myll ther must be a bolt or sluse mad of the new mill, which must have been near for letting out all of the water of the myll ponde Ingatestone Hall, possibly by damming a small as often as I shall think good. stream that ran near the hall. The myll pond shall bear water att the north end viij foot and att the sowt end iiij foote att "For the making of my overshot mill the lest. Fyrst a hedd to be well mad on the northsid I must fynd Tymber nough for the said myll wher the pale standeth which hedd must con- fludd gates grates and wearr and the same teyn cx yardes or more as the ground shall cast to be caryed to the place require in lenght est and west. The same hedd I must also fynd vijm yen nals to be in breadth and thycktnes xviij foot in the Item thatt all the trees growing within the com- bottome and xij foot in the topp and att thatt pass of this work shall be felled att his charges hedd a myll to be placed. to be occupied ther. Item ther must be one other hedd mad on the Item thatt the old ryver shall be purged for west side conteyning in length ccc yardes rootes and biushes growing within the com- which hedd shall conteyn in the sides xv foot in pass of this worke. the bottom and xij in the topp. Item for a swannes nest to be mad within this Item on the west sid of this west hedd ther pond. must be a damme or greatt dich cast for con- Item this bargayn being fynished and the mill veyaunc away of the water which must be as going the said Flemmyng shall tak down my long the sayd west hedd and the same damme horse mill att Ingatestone and the same amend or dych shall conteyn in breadth at the sowth and sett upp ageyn att Thorndon hall. end xij foot in the bottom and in the topp xvj For the well doing of all which premisses the foot in the bottom and xx foot in the topp the sayd Flemming shall have one hundreth depnes to be as the grownd will require and so powndes wher of xx li payed in hand, and for as the may allwayes conteyn water. the said c li the sayd Flemmyng doth Att the north end of the sayd damme or dich covenawnt to mak and perfectly finissh all and

5 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill singular the premisses and the same upholde widow, Anne lady Petre, was to hold to be well done in all thinges according to a Ingatestone for the rest of her life. John Petre plat drawen by the said Flemyng remayning therefore required his own house and in 1573 with me. purchased the manor of West Horndon form Item thatt is agreed thatt all the heddes both on Lord Mordaunt and began to remodel the the north west and sowth sid shall be in hight mansion house. Around 1575 John Petre att lest ij foot when it shall be settled more high moved to Thorndon Hall, which became the then the watter when it shall most over flow." family seat for over three hundred years, although the Petre’s retained Ingatestone Hall. Why the horse mill was to be moved Sometime during 1580 a decision was from Ingatestone to Thorndon is not clear since made to build a water mill at Thorndon Hall Thorndon was at this time owned by the either to replace or supplement an existing Mordaunt family. However it seems that the horse mill. It seems probable that although the horse mill remined for a map, dated 1566, of overshot mill was never built at Ingatestone the water courses constructed on the site of plans for replacing the horse with water power Ingatestone Hall shows buildings standing over was transferred from Ingatestone to Thorndon a water cource and also mention a myll house. Hall. Interestingly both sites required the An inventory of Ingatestone Hall taken in 1600 building of a swans nest. included “the mill house: containing two mill stones, with stabling within millhouse”. Men- tioned elsewhere within the document are two mill horses. Sir William Petre died in 1572 and was succeeded by his son John Petre. Sir William’s

6 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

BUILDING THE WATER MILL

Entries in the estate account book of water mill”, presumable building the penstock, Thorndon Hall shows that construction of the for this work they were paid a daily rate of 7d new water mill was carried out in three phases. the day. The site of the mill pond was cleared of bushes and trees by estate worker old 1. Construction of the earth works for the Robert Gill. mill head or dam. At the beginning of April some thing 2. Building the water mill house serious happened to the dam which required 3. Erecting the mill machinery. the return of Robertson to direct the repair of the brack at the great pond head. He was 1. BUILDING THE POND HEAD supplied with 23d worth of nails and other AND WATER WAYS items for use on the repair work. To improve the water supply to the mill Some time during 1580 John Robertson, pond two springs “on the common near Riddon a pond maker from Gilston in Hertfordshire, Oak” were opened out by John Gray of Child- agreed for the sum of £16 “to make a head of erditch who was paid for 4 days work, in March a pond in West Horndon parke upon the and also for 7 days work at “the swans nest” at brooke at the northe corner of Parsons Grove”. the daily rate of 8d the day. In April labourer Payment was to be made by instalments. Richard Mathyn was paid for 2 days work at 9d Robertson must have started work by October the day for “casting up earth where the water since on the 18th he received an initial pay- should run from the mill in Easter week.” The ment of £8. A second advance of £4 was paid water ways were cleared by labourer Richard on the 23rd November and work was probably Drable who spent 10 days doing so. completed by 10th of December when he received a fourth and final payment. Robertson 2. ERECTING THE MILL HOUSE also agreed “ram the penstock” of the new mill for an additional £4, this work was completed On 28th February Robert Lyddy laborer by the 18th of December. received payment at 8d the day for 8 days It is not clear who designed the mill dam work on the site of the mill. Robertson agreed but a decision was made to raise the height of to ram the foundations of the mill, and seems the mill head for on the 19th of January to have agreed being paid daily rates. On the Robertson received a further payment of 14 5th March John Robertson received payment shillings “to make the head of the great pond 2 for 5 days work at West Horndon, 31w days feet higher than his old bargain”. In February about ramming of the foundations of the water Robertson received a further 40 shillings mill and 1 day digging a pond in the saw pit “towards his charge of making the head at the yard, he was assisted by his son Robert and great pond”. three of his men Edw Thomas, Richard Robertson’s bargain was for building the Mathyns and Christopher Newell. Robertson’s mill head for a fixed sum of money, he would payment was 8d per day and 6d a day for his have had to pay the wages of his own men. son. Thomas received 9d the day for 5 days Clearing the site and building the wooden ramming the foundations of the mill, and penstock was carried out by estate workers Mathyns 8d the day for 41w days on the foun- who were paid by the day or piece work rates. dations, Newell was paid at the same rate for 3 During the latter part of October and early days work. Robertson was also assisted in November estate carpenters Griffith David and digging work by Childerditch men, John Gray John Mudge were paid for work “about the who was paid for 15 days at 8d the day; Wil-

7 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill liam Sawkyn, 12 days at 8d the day; and West Horndon Park” for the sum of £12, and Robert Lynddy 5 days at 9d the day. In March was also to be allowed timber iron work and George Raynbeard was paid for 9 days at the meat, drink and lodgings for him and his folk. foundations of the mill at 8d the day. He received his first part payment on 5th of In April work on the mill house com- February 1580(1). At the beginning of March, menced. Griffith David, carpenter was paid for Cakebread made the first of two journeys to 21 days work for “framing a house for the London, to obtain millstones, at the end of the water mill” and making a dog kennel at the month a second journey was made to obtain warren lodge for which he received 6d the day brasses for the mill machinery. plus meat drink and lodgings. He was assisted There is no record of the type of machin- by John Mudge, carpenter, who received 7d a ery fitted in the mill, however the lists of iron day plus meat and drink. Griffith David was work supplied to Cakebread by the Horndon still at work on the mill at the beginning of May smith, Richard Richards do give an indication. when he was paid for a further 121w days. On From this evidence the mill appears to have 3rd June John Mudge was paid for 12 days been equipped with a single pair of stones about the mill house at 8d the day and Griffith driven from a water wheel through lantern David for 15 days at 6d the day. (trundle) and pinion gearing. By the end of April the bricklayers had John Walkers map places the mill building commenced for on the 29th payment was on the side of the mill dam, rather than astride made for 4 days work. Edward Alberd, brick- it. This would seem to indicate an overshot layer, was paid 12d per day, Robert Alberd’s water wheel. The height of the dam, as it now boy 8d, Wm Springfield, labourer, 10d the day stands, is sufficient for a overshot wheel. and his son James 8d, old Deake, labourer, However the present shape of the mill pond also received 10d. At the beginning of May, differs from the Walker map, possibly the pond Richard Springfield, bricklayer, was at work on was at some later date landscaped and the the mill walls, being paid 12d the day with meat dam raised and strengthened. drink and lodgings. Richard Drable was serving the bricklayers and making mortar for the walls for this he received 4d the day plus meat and drinks. By the 3rd of June the roof of the mill was completed. John Foster, tyler, was paid for 14 days tyling and daubing the walls and also mending broken walls about the stables. He was paid at rate of 12d the day, his brother William 11d, brother Richard 8d for 16 days and John Hille for 10 days 8d the day. John Walker’s estate map depicts a small two story mill with a pitched roof. That the mill was of more than one story is confirmed by the THORNDON HALL need for a winch and rope to wind up sacks, MILL sluice mentioned in inventories of mill equipment. mill pond dam 3. MILLWRIGHT WORK

The mill machinery was built by William Cakebread, millwreight of Writtle who agreed to “make a water mill at the great pond head at

8 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

4. THE COST OF BUILDING THE MILL ing the walls the cost of labour and materials was some £12. The outlay for erecting the Estimating the total cost of building the milling machinery was approximately £18 plus new water is difficult for a number of reasons. food lodgings and timber. The cost of timber and bricks is not stated. The total expenditure for building the The actual labour cost can only be approxi- watermill at West Horndon may have been as mated since payments noted in the estate high as £70. book are sometimes for work on the mill and As a comparison, of expenditure, the around the estate, also the true value is proposed overshot mill at Ingatestone was to unknown where payments included allowances cost £100 including the cost of dismantling, for meat, drink and lodgings. transporting and rebuilding a horse mill from Building the earth dam, digging the water Ingatestone to Thorndon. At Fristling Hall water ways and erecting the penstock to control the mill, rebuilt about the same period, £25 was water cost around £24. The total cost of build- spent in repairs. This involved scouring the ing the mill house can only be estimated, since river so as to enlarge the mill pond, building building materials, such as brick and timber, new sluices and repairs to the water wheel and supplied from the estate were not costed. gearing. Although the cost of felling timber However approximate labour charges for trees and carting them to Fristling mill were various stages of construction can be obtained noted in the accounts no charge was made for from the account book. the timber. However monies received from The labour cost for digging and ramming selling the bark and also tops of the trees the foundations came to around 38 shillings, were recorded. carpentry work 46 shillings and laying bricks 55 shillings, allowing for food and drink an amount in excess of £7. For tiling the roof and plaster-

9 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

TRADES OF CRAFTSMEN

MILLWRIGHT rate of 4d the pound weight for heavier components and 21wd the pound for smaller William Cakebread, who was also items such as hinges and hooks. Richards involved in the maintenance of the the horse also shod the estate horses and provided iron mill at West Horndon, was recorded as a work for the horse mill, and other items millwright in the estate accounts, whereas the required around the estate and household. reconstruction of Fristlings Mill in Margaretting, also part of the Petre estates, was carried out LOCKSMITH by Purle the myller. A study of late sixteenth century Essex The source for locks was from London wills would seem to indicate that most of those locksmiths. This was presumably the most who chose to call themselves millwrights also convenient source for locks, although Saffron had milling interests. Millwrights George Waldon seems to have been a centre of lock Cooper of East Mersea (1585) and John making during this period. Payne of Dedham (1568) make no mention of mills, in their wills. Other millwrights did NAILMAKER however make mention of leases in their wills. Robert Underwood of Wix (1568) leased a The source for nails was from a Barking windmill in Wix; John Carrier of Little nailman. Hallingbury (1568) leased a mill in Gt Shelford, Cambs; Thomas Hardye of Fyfield (1583) WOODWORKING TRADES leased Little Laver windmill. William Cakebread, from Writtle, does not SAWYER seem to have been a tenant at either Writtle windmill or one of the two Writtle water mills, Timber from the estate was sawn in a saw although he may have had interests pit in the Saw Pit Yard. However some timber elsewhere. was sawn, on site, in the warren, this required a saw pit to be dug on site, by Father Gill who PONDMAKER was paid 8d for doing so. The estate sawyer, Luke Middleton was There seem to be no surviving records of paid piece work rates. By the hundred for a pond maker in Essex which may explain why slitting work or sawing boards. For preparing John Robertson had to be brought in from baulks of timber he was paid per breaking carf Hertfordshire. The work he was paid for by the foot. included building the earth dam for the new In April Middleton was paid for sawing of mill, ramming foundations and digging a pond 3000 slitting work for the flood gates and 800 in the saw pit yard. of boards at 20d the hundred. For a breaking calf of 23 feet he received 18d. METAL WORKING TRADES For sawing 21 feet of “breaking work” in the Warren, for the flood gates, he was paid 1d BLACKSMITH per foot. In May he was paid for 500 planks and 300 of “slitting work” at 19d the hundred. Iron work was supplied by Richard Richards, blacksmith of East Horndon, who was paid by weight of item supplied at a typical

10 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

CARPENTER LABOURER

The rates for the carpenters seems to The standard daily rate was 8d the day have be variable. Work on the penstock was although some work commanded a higher rate paid at daily rates of 7d, whereas work on of 9d or 10d. Serving the bricklayers was 4d framing the mill house was paid at a higher plus meat and drink. rate of 6d plus meat drink and lodgings, and 7d plus meat and drink. Other work on the mill PLASTERER was paid at 8d or 6d the day. Daubyng the mill walls was undertaken by JOINER the Foster brothers on daily rates. They also carried out repair work on the walls of farm Payments for wages recorded in the estate buildings. books show that the trade of carpenter was Daubyng was work of a coarser nature separate to that of the joyner who was also than that required for interior work in the paid 8d the day. There is no record of a joiner mansion house. The accounts show that working at the mill. during the remodelling of the mansion a playster was employed for playstering the COOPER walls and ceilings of rooms. Remuneration for plain plastering of walls and ceilings was per The tunn (the wooden cover surrounding square yard but work on the elaborate fretted the mill stones) was evidently circular as this ceilings of the principle rooms was carried out was supplied by a cooper, Thomas Stevens of by contract, a new bargain for each room. Ingatestone, who was paid 12/- in July 1581, Richard Bardfield ceiled the Great Gallery for for "a myll bynne that standethh about the £20. water mill stones." TILER BUILDING TRADES Fixing the roof tiles was work for a tyler. BRICKLAYER This was carried out by the Foster brothers on daily rates which varied between 12d for the The bricklayers were paid at the daily rate head tiler and 11d or 8d the day for those of 12d or 12d plus meat, drinks and lodgings assisting him. for the master bricklayer Richard Springfield. The bricklayers were served by labourers and CARTER “hod” carriers who were paid lesser rates. The Springfields were mainly employed in In February John Gamonte was paid for 5 rebuilding the mansion house. days work driving the cart loaded with timber for the water mill at 31wd the day. On the 4th BRICKMAKER June Gamonte was paid for 15 days carting of brick tile and timber for the mill at 4d the day Brick makers were paid piece work rates. plus meat and drink also Edward Stokes for Edward Grantan was paid 10/- for making and carting bricks from Branstone clamp to the new burning 4400 of bricks made by him. mill at the same rates.

11 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

BUILDING MATERIALS USED

BRICKS London for a period of 19 years at £10 19s 0d per annum. The chalk pits being occupied by Production of bricks was carried out on Jn Arden and a Mr Mellarme. In 1581 Farmer’s the estate at Bramstones kiln sited “near the lease was transferred to Thomas Broke Gent. parsonage”. There is no record of the number In 1594 Chris Holford, Gentleman of Islington, of bricks used in building the mill. The kiln was the Lord of the manor, leased a chalk cliff and fired with brush wood off the estate. lime kiln with two houses to Wm Taylor, a mason in Barking, for 21 years at £16 and 2 MORTAR capons per annum. Taylor’s lease contained a clause stating that “lyme to be made and burnt The estate possessed a brick lime kiln at the said lyme kill of the chalk to be digged which was maintained by the estate out of the said cliffe”. By 1610 this lease been bricklayers. Richard Springfield in May 1581 transferred to a Edmund Skinner. was paid 4d plus meat, drink and lodgings for There a no surviving records dated before the mending the kiln. Loading the kiln was work for sixteenth century to show when these early a labourer. Richard Drable was paid for slating lime kilns and chalk pits at Purfleet were first of lyme and making mortar. developed. However this give an early date in Mixing mortar was a job for a labourer. In the exploitation of an important mineral April Richard Drabble was paid for 4 days work source, chalk, which was used not only by in making mortar for the walls of the water mill South Essex farmers as a fertilizer but also in at a daily rate of 8d. the manufacture of lime and cement.. The In 1580 a new mortar sieve was chalk pits were later expanded into West purchased for the sum of 9d. This would seem Thurrock and Grays, and in the nineteenth to have been an expensive item equal to a century the area became a centre for the large days wages. scale manufacture of cement. Lime was transported from Purfleet in SAND horse drawn wagons or by water in 10 ton chalk boats. The evidence for the size of chalk Coarse sand came at no cost from pits on the boat is found in a covenant attached to Taylor’s estate and was dug or stubbed by labours on lease concerning mending sea walls and daily rates.. There is therefore no specific banks with 14 faires (loads) of Chalk, “every mention of sand for the mill faire containing 10 tons of chalk according to the burthen of chalk boats that usually carry LIME same”.

Lime was required for making mortar and HAIR plaster. Ten loads of lyme were used at the mill. This was supplied by John Bayliss, lyme The manufacture of daub required hair to man of Averly, from pits at Purfleet at 14/- the bind the lime mix together. This was obtained load. from local tanners. In May 1581 supplies of The chalk pits at Purfleet belonged to the parietting hear were obtained from Welde, manor of West Thurrock and were leased to tanner of Margaretting, at 31wd the bushel and London business men who in turn sub let the Waylett, tanner, of Brookstreet who sent 30 pits. In 1574 2 lyem kills and 2 choake clyffe bushels at 3d the bushel. were leased to Richard Farmer gentleman of The supplies of hair from local tanners

12 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill possibly indicate centres of leather trundle (ie the gearing) of the new water mill manufacture. The hair was a waste product and for a new spilyng yeon to wedge the from the preparation of the animal hide. gudgion and boxes of that myle.

ROOFING TILES BRASS-WORK

These were obtained from Walter Guy of Brass was used for bearings in the mill Great Warley, who supplied 7000 playne tyle machinery. Cakebread received ten shillings from his kiln at Heron Green in May 1581 at 7/ on his going to London to purchase brasses 6d the thousand. The total cost being 52/6d from suppliers in London. This may possible be because there was little brass working being TIMBER carried our in Essex

Wood for the mill came from trees NAILS standing on the Horndon estate primarily from the “warren”, after felling the tree was topped Nails were brought in bulk and are not and sawn on the spot, this required a saw pit to listed specifically for use at the mill. The major be dug. The timber was used green. supplier, during this period, was Edward Cartright nayleman of Barking. IRONWORK The type of nails supplied to the Horndon estates were: On 9th January 1580(1) Richards was doubletons (double tens) at 20d the paid for 4 “new myll bylles well steeled at both hundred. ends to serve the water myll stones” (ie to singletons (single tens) at 10d the dress the stones) at 8d each, total cost 2/8d. hundred. This shows the price of steel was such that it six penny nails at 6d the hundred could only be used for cutting ends of the mill three penny nails at 3d the hundred. bills which were used for dressing the mill hooke lathe nails at 15d the hundred. stones. The price is less than the 12d allowed, round head nails. in November 1580, to William Tomlynd for a myll byll to beate the stones, to be used in the LOCKS horse mill. Tomlynd was also paid for a spade and shovel for use in the mill and slaughter Locks for the mill were obtained from house. Thomas Scott, smith, London who received in At the end of March there were payments July 1581 5/- for a stock lock for the mill door. for 2 gudgions; 2 little bolts and 2 hoops for the The household accounts show Scott, who water wheel, weighing in total 78lbs at 4d the was presumable a lock smith, as the main pound; total cost of 26/-. Also 8 dove tayles for supplier of locks to the Horndon estates. the water wheel and 8 bolts for the cogge wheele weighing 50lbs at 4d the pound; total cost 48/4d. 1 spyndle and ring for the mill MILL-STONES stones weighing 72lb, at like rate, cost 24/-. In June Richards received payment for an The stones for the new water mill were iron bolt to hang a lock upon for the penstock purchased in London. Although there is no weighing 5lbs, also 3 pairs of hynges and record of the cost paid. Cakebread was hooks for the mill at a cost of 21wd the lb. A allowed 8d the day to go to London to further payment 2/10d was made to Richards purchase stones, receiving in total five on the 29th of June for 2 bands of iron for the shillings. The type of mill stone installed in the

13 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill mill is not recorded, however the need for “new hole, or sixtene shilling for everye inche the myll bylles well steeled at both ends to serve said stone shall want of thikness. the water myll stones” would seem to indicate that french burr stones were fitted. The term “french stones” was used to Millstones seem to have been expensive indicate the type of mill stone. French burr items, the cost based on the thickness of the stones were built up from segments of a very stone. hard stone, known as chert, imported from A single stone, eight inches thick, northern France, these are considered to be purchased for Fristling Hall mill which was the best for milling. A softer mill stone was the rebuilt sometime in the 1580’s cost 54/8d. This peak stone. These were cut in one piece from stones was obtained in Chelmsford from millstone grit quarries in Derbyshire and Durrant the miller, the cost of carriage from Yorkshire. Early hand querns excavated in Chelmsford to Margaretting being five shillings. Essex have been found made of pudding A lease on a tide mill in the manor of stone, from Hertfordshire, or “cullin” stone, a Great Wakering dated 1587 contained the lava rock from the Mayen district of Germany following covenant concerning the thickness of shipped via the port of Cologne, hence the the mill stones:- name. Millstones for Essex were brought to The said Crissicke covenauntoth to leave Colchester or London by sea. two good french mylstones roady and lyinge in the mill the stones to be bredth six foote of assise & one to be fifteene inches thicke at the hole and the other nyne inches thicke at the

14 © Robert Sier 2016 [draft-2] Water Power in Essex—Building A Sixteenth Century Estate Water Mill

LEASING THE MILL

of which is unclear). There was also a skoope - The water mill was worked in conjuction with a scoop and a towle disshe of a quarter - a slaughter house, granary and malt house, all quarter measure. previously combined with a horse mill which in The date when the water mill went out of March and July 1581 was out of repair and use is unknown. A rental survey of the Petre needed the attention of Richard Richards. It is estates taken in 1728 records only the post not clear whether the mill etc were leased or windmill at West Horndon. formed part of the household. The mill pond seems to been well In an inventory taken in 1608 the water stocked with fish. In 1641 Thos Reave, Wm mill was described as a “myll for wheat and Madelay, John Witham and Wm Mott were malt furnished to grind same”. accused of pulling up the sluice in the pond, at An inventory was taken in the October of West Horndon, and stealing 500 carp and 1592 at the leaving of William Moll and the other fish to the value of £20 and doing like- delivery into the charge of Peter Bradwyn. wise at the ponds on Childerditch common, Bradwyn left in 1595 when Robert Pigg took stealing fish to the value of £10. A Thomas over. Pigg stayed until 1608 when Robert Reeve leased the nearby windmill, High Mill, Aboroll took over. Another inventory was taken paying £8 and 4 capons or six shillings per in 1611 but this gives no names. In 1595 there annum. The pond is today much frequented was a new spare stone lying by in the house, by anglers however this seems to have been used by Old Thorndon Hall was pulled down 1608. Other items include the 2 mill bills made around 1760, the great pond was at some by Richards the smith, a rope and winch to latter date landscaped, the overall shape of the wind up sacks, a stock lock and a key to the pond as shown on modern maps is different door with a ring on the outside, the penstock from that drawn on Walkers map, it may be had an iron bolt going through it with a hanging that the old mill dam was raised and lock and a key there to. strengthened. A number of tools were kept at the mill. The only memory of the watermill is now These included a hand saw, hatchet, hammer, found on ordinance survey maps which record crow bar and a spiling chizell of yron (the use the name of Mill Wood lying below the dam.

CONCLUSIONS

paid for out of Sir John Petre’s annual income. This research revealed some of planning In the field of civil engineering and mill process of building a small water mill and who machinery a sufficient level of expertise was erected it. The method of accounting used in not readily available among staff normally the estate records did not allow a true cost of employed on the Petre estates. In these two erecting the mill to be arrived at. This may areas outside contractors were employed who have been because the mill was built to serve undertook the work at a fixed price or Thorndon Hall rather than to be let on lease. “bargain”, payment being made in stages. The The cost remodelling of the mansion distances which these contractors had to travel house which took from about 1575 to 1595 were some twenty miles for the pond maker and building the new water mill was it seems and ten miles for the mill wright.

DISTRIBUTION OF GILSTON Pondmaker TRADESMAN & WRITTLE BUILDING MATERIALS Millwright

DODDINGHURST Tiler Plasterer

MARGARETTING Hair INGATESTONE Cooper BROOK STREET Hair

HERON GREEN Unknown source Tiles Iron WEST HORNDON

Bricks Timber Bricklayers Sawer Labourers Carpenter Brickmakers Carter LONDON Blacksmith Millstones Brick & Lime kiln Brass work Locks

BARKING Nails PURFLEET Lime

The erection of the mill house was well the estate joiners and carpenters were not within the ability of those skilled tradesmen sufficient to make the circular cover or “tun” for employed on the estate, many of whom would the millstones as this had to be purchased have been involved the rebuilding of the from an Ingatestone cooper. mansion house. The method of remuneration In terms of building materials, for the was daily rates of pay which on occasion water mill, the West Horndon estate was included lodgings and or food, however piece clearly self sufficient in bricks and timber but work rates were applied to the preparation of not roofing tiles which had to brought in from a timber. The division of labour into trades such tile maker a few miles away at Heron Green. as carpenter, bricklayer or labourer are clearly Records would seem to indicate that no value recognizable with those to be found on any was placed on timber and bricks used within modern building site. The only trades not the estate although timber sold was accounted employed on the Horndon estate were those of for as were wages paid for making bricks or plasterer and tiler, who were brought in to carry sawing timber. The main source for finished out the work on daily rates. Also the skills of goods was London.

SOURCES

PRIMARY SOURCES SECONDARY SOURCES

Essex Record Office:- Essex Wills. Ed F G Emmerson

Petre family papers Elizabethan Wills of South West Essex. Ed F G Emmerson. Manor of West Horndon or Thorndon Hall: Account book D/DP A19 T. S. Willan. The English Coasting Trade. Estate map John Walker, 1598: D/DP P5 1938. Inventories of slaughter house and mill, D/DP E2/19 (1581); D/DP E2/18 (1592); D/DP E2/13 L. F. Salzman. Building in England Down to (1595/1608); D/DP E2/5 (1611) 1540.

Ingatestone Hall: Essex County Council. Records of Memo on building a water mill. D/DP L 36/1 archaeological finds -- mill stones. Estate map, 1560. D/DP P1 Essex Record Office Publication, No. 61. Old Manor of Fristling Hall: Thorndon Hall. Accounts of rebuilding water mill D/DP A79

Manor of West Thurrock Rentals: D/DAc 272 (1574); D/DAc 274 (1594); D/DWh 11 (1581) D/DWh 180 (1610/11); D/ DAc 350,351 (1667)

Manor of Gt Wakering Lease of water mill 1587. T/Z38/67

SOURCES